Social enterprises and civil society in Japan appear to have flourished in the wake of natural disasters.

According to Nana Watanabe, founder of the Japanese arm of social entrepreneurship foundation Ashoka, it was The Great Hanshin (Kobe) earthquake in 1995 that first really mobilised civil society in Japan.

"There are now many initiatives relating to education for children and caring for isolated elderly people in the disaster-stricken areas," says Watanabe. "The consciousness of the need for solidarity and volunteering among the citizen was triggered by the quake."

Watanabe, who has written several books on social enterprise, has seen the movement increasingly pick up pace over the last seven years. In September 2005, Keio, Japan's oldest university, introduced the country's first social innovation course.

Watanabe was keen to accelerate change further and in 2009 approached Ashoka to set up a Japan branch. "I did this because Japan has many social issues buried underneath the quiet surface, and I thought Ashoka would be the engine of making changes," she says.

Ashoka Japan selected its first two fellows in March 2012. One has set up an online sign language database and the other is creating affordable nursing homes.

The author has also brought in heavyweight backing from Mizuho, one of Japan's three main banks, which was unexpected. "Japanese people in general think it is almost miraculous that they're helping us because Japanese finance institutions are known for their tradition and classical values," she explains.

The new liberal government, which came to power in 2009, is making positive noises about social enterprise, and has put some words into action. The prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, had a public meeting with the founder of Ashoka, Bill Drayton, in 2010. And, the government has recently commissioned 30 new co-operative/social enterprise businesses, including the Japanese version of the Big Issue.

Last year's nuclear disaster in Fukushima has created new challenges for the country, but the sector has strengthened to catch the debris. Large worker and consumer co-ops are working extensively to rebuild lives, communities and neighbourhoods. And, energetic social enterprises are now crystalising in the worst hit areas.

Entrepreneurial Training for Innovation Communities (ETIC), works increasingly with social entrepreneurs in disaster zones. Research division manager at training organisation, Koumei Ishikawa, explains how some of ETIC's students are helping: "One of our social entrepreneurs in Miyagi is building a new transportation system, mainly with buses, because most people lost their cars in last year's earthquake and tsunami.

"Another is creating e-learning programmes for children who can't get to school and is training locals to be able to teach and mentor students. Several others are trying to renovate streets, shops, houses and bars in some of the affected areas," he says.

ETIC is also training and paying expenses for 120 young professionals who have left their jobs to help social entrepreneurs in affected areas.

"In addition to the provision of inter-co-op emergency relief supplies, consumer co-ops also have contracts with 312 local municipalities (councils) to provide relief goods in case of emergency.

"In the wake of the Japan great east earthquake last year, they provided goods and services to municipalities, including soup kitchens, shops, volunteers, clean ups, child and elder care and medical care and are also rebuilding areas.

Dr Isaac Ya Asiedu, PR manager at the Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union(JCCU), continues: "Japan is a country highly susceptible to natural disasters, especially earthquakes. As part of JCCU's social agenda, it promotes disaster reduction activities with member co-ops and their individual members in collaboration with the cabinet office of Japan and with the support of several local governments."

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